2017 British GT Championship Snetterton Race 1

Jon Minshaw and Phill Keen claimed their third win of the season in the #33 Barwell Motorsport Lamborghini Huracan whilst Will Tregurtha and Stuart Middleton took the victory in GT4.

Jack Mitchell took an early lead, completing the first lap 3.3 seconds up on the championship leading #33 Lamborghini. In GT4, Will Tregurtha jumped into the lead, fighting his way past Alex Reed in the first couple of laps.

Mitchell continued to pull away as Rick Parfitt and Liam Griffin fought amongst themselves over third place, Parfitt getting the best of Griffin to put the Bentley into third. Whilst the Macmillan GT3 of Mitchell led the way at the front, the Macmillan #42 GT4 Aston Martin of William Phillips was bumped down the early standings after suffering significant front end damage in a second-lap excursion.

All eyes were on Mark Farmer in the #11 TF Sport Aston Martin who was busy chasing down Lee Mowle in the AMDtuning.com Mercedes AMG GT3. Farmer made his move on the brakes into Agostini, contact between the two though however caused damage to the wheels on Farmers Aston and he was forced to pit. The battle was on for second place as the leading GT3 cars approached the GT4 back markers. Parfitt was just two tenths behind Jon Minsaw and pushing hard.

At the 30 minute mark, the race saw its first retirement, the #29 In2Racing McLaren of Hoggarth and Mckay came to a stop at Riches as the pit window opened. Keen took over from Minshaw, Morris from Parfitt and Tordoff from Griffin. Tordoff jumped Morris in the pits to take third as the Pro’s joined the race.

A slow stop for the Macmillan AMR resulted in Barwell close the gab by 10 seconds, leaving just six seconds between fist and second place.

The success penalty for HHC motorsport following their win at Rockingham saw Lanan Racing take the lead with David Pittard at the wheel of the GT4 Ginetta.

It was at this moment that the front two cars in both classes found themselves running together, the GT3 cars picking their way through the slower moving GT4 runners, all four cars fighting for position. The #100 car managed to close the gap as the four cars fought together making it a three way fight for the lead in GT4.

Littlejohn eventually lost the lead in GT3, Keen made contact with him as the pair fought, sending the Aston Martin wide before passing down the back straight to take the first race win.

There was a last gasp change in GT4, Stuart Middleton’s HHC Ginetta went around the outside of Pittard through Bombhole to take the win on the penultimate lap.

A late-race penalty for the #33 Barwell Motorsport Lamborghini Huracan GT3 of Jon Minshaw and Phil Keen saw 2016 GT3 champions Jonny Adam and Derek Johnston in the #1 TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage claim their first win of 2017. In GT4, the #100 Black Bull Garage 59 Ginetta G55 of Sandy Mitchell and Ciaran Haggerty sealed victory with an impressive double overtake on the penultimate lap. A cloud-filled Snetterton hosted race two, with race one winner Keen in the Barwell Motorsport #33 Lamborghini being beaten to the first corner by Adam in the #1 TF Sport Aston Martin.